Storybook ending: Goal-line stand secures state title for Belle Vernon
Bill Hughes/For the Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon players celebrate on the field with the championship trophy after defeating Neumann-Goretti, 9-8, Saturday in the PIAA Class 3A football championship game at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg. It is Belle Vernon’s first football state championship.
Bill Hughes/For the Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon players celebrate on the field after defeating Neumann-Goretti, 9-8, Saturday in the PIAA Class 3A football championship game at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg. It is Belle Vernon’s first football state championship.
MECHANICSBURG – Sometimes, stories can have storybook endings.
Heading into the PIAA Class 3A football championship game Saturday at Cumberland Valley High School, the Belle Vernon defense had not given up a point in the second half of a game since the third week of the season.
So it was only fitting that it was the Leopards’ defense that had a goal-line stand in the closing seconds of the game to seal a thrilling 9-8 win over Neumann-Goretti to clinch the first football state championship in school history.
After the game, Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert talked about the pride he has in his team.
“I am gratified for the kids, and it is so cool to see a collective organization come together with a mission and achieve that mission and goal,” he said. “Resiliency, all the things that posters are made out of, this team resembles all of them.
“These seniors, they are very well-deserving of this, as is the whole team. I’m partial to my people, but it is hard to wrap my head around a group of kids and coaches that are as deserving as this group. They do everything the right way. And I am so proud of our guys.”
Confusion was abound in the closing moments as the Saints were mere inches from scoring on consecutive plays and possibly winning the championship, only to be thwarted when quarterback Mekhi Wharton fumbled at the goal line and Aiden Johnson recovered the ball for the Leopards at the one-yard line to seal the win and state crown.
“Belle Vernon made a good play. They recovered the ball and were able to close it out,” Neumann-Goretti coach Albie Crosby said. “I respect the officials’ call and they called the fumble, and not having our premier runner put us in a bad spot going into it. We felt if we had him, it would have been different but that is how it goes.
“The conversation would be a little different if we had another half-yard, but I am super proud of Belle Vernon, and this is great for their program. We will get back at it next year.”
Neumann played without their star running back, Shawn Battle. The Boston College commit was ejected last week in the semifinals and had to sit out the title game.
Humbert admitted that the wild ending makes the title all the more thrilling.
“There are a lot of feelings running through my head and that was a very interesting ending,” Humbert said. “It gives you a little adrenaline rush. The biggest thing is I am proud of these kids.”
The back-to-back plays at the end of the game came after the Saints converted two fourth downs on the drive.
The game was a defensive slugfest throughout, as BVA gained 215 yards on 59 plays while limiting the Saints to 140 yards on 48 plays.
Defensive Coordinator Brett Berish, the architect of the Leopards’ stout defense, spoke about the effort.
“This is pretty special, and we will remember it forever,” he said while holding his granddaughter Ariana. “One-yard line against a South Philadelphia Catholic school. The defense didn’t give up a point. I am so proud of everyone.”
Things started out well for the Leopards but changed a short time later.
After forcing a Neumann-Goretti (10-4) punt on the first drive of the game, the Leps took over at the Saints’ 28.
Belle Vernon (12-2) was able to get to the 8-yard line but settled for a 24-yard field goal by Willie Schwerha.
On Neumann’s next offensive play, Wharton tried to go deep down the left sideline, but Quinton Martin intercepted the ball for the Leopards.
The Saints held the Leps and forced a punt, and Neumann took advantage of a bad snap. The ball sailed into the end zone and Schwerha, the punt, raced back to pick it up. However, he appeared to suffer a knee injury as his leg buckled and he collapsed with the ball on the turf right behind him.
Samuel Hobbs recovered it for a touchdown to get the Saints on the scoreboard, and his two-point conversion run gave the District 12 champions an 8-3 lead with 5:56 to play in the first quarter.
The rest of the half was a defensive battle as the Leps gained 114 yards on 35 plays while limiting the Saints to 68 yards on 20 plays.
The teams kept trading blows in the third quarter until the Leps put together their best drive of the game.
Taking over at their 39, the Leps drove 45 yards in 10 plays to the N-G 16 with quarterback Braden Laux running over a defender on a 23-yard gain to get to the 16.
On the next play, Laux hit Martin, coming out of the backfield, on short pass toward the left sideline and he scored on the play for a 9-8 lead.
“Q leaked out of the backfield, I tossed it, and I let him do his thing,” said Laux.
“I give full credit to Braden Laux on that touchdown,” said Martin. “He made that big run and Coach Humbert knew everyone would key on him, so I was able to get open on the route.”
“We ran two clear-out routes by our Nos. 1 and 2 receivers and we had the fullback run a vertical,” Humbertexplained. “We knew we would get them to drop and just checked the ball down to Q on an outbreaking route.”
It would be the only touchdown of the game for the Leopards, but it was the only one they needed as the defense came up with the late stop.
“This defense has always been there,” said Humbert. “They have bent but never broke.”
BVA gave up 122 points over 14 games, an average of 8.7 per contest.
Senior Steve Macheska saved his best game for his last as he had nine tackles, including six solo, and two sacks.
Martin, Laux and Adam LaCarte had Belle Vernon’s three interceptions.
Walking off the field, Martin reflected back two weeks to after the WPIAL championship win over Avonworth, when he said it was the best feeling he had had up to that point.
“This is greater than I thought,” he said. “This feeling, the crowd, the fans, the cheerleaders, the teammates, it’s just unbeatable and no one can beat this feeling ever.”
Humbert said his players were playing for everyone that has worn a Belle Vernon jersey through the years.
“I think about of all the kids over the last seven years, to get us to this point,” he said.
“You can’t write this. It is a storybook ending. A goal-line stand to win a state championship? You can’t make this stuff up.”